Monochromatic VUV-radiation of Z-pinch carbon rod

A spectral UV and visible and a laser schlieren diagnostics were used for the discharge load from graphite for a pencil of 1 cm length and 2 mm of diameter between two copper conical electrodes. The electric discharge was initiated by a small capacitor bank of 20 kV voltage and a 1 /spl mu/F capacitance. The current reached its maximum at 40 kA during 360 ns after the increase of the current. The authors reported diagnostic results and the correlation of VUV emission with the explosion of the plasma corona.